Social Media Planning for 2020

As we welcome the New Year, it’s the perfect time to turn our attention to planning for the year ahead. If you’re working on your marketing strategy, now is the moment to extend that planning to your social media content. A well-thought-out social media plan can make a world of difference, ensuring your efforts are consistent, targeted and impactful.

Back to Basics: Social Media Planning Essentials

Before diving into your detailed plan, it’s worth revisiting the fundamentals of social media marketing:

Set Clear Goals
- What do you want to achieve with your social media efforts?
- Goals might include raising brand awareness, generating sales, gathering leads, improving customer retention or managing customer service.
Choose the Right Platforms
- Identify your target market and select the social platforms where they are most active.
Consistency is Key
- Decide on a realistic posting schedule and commit to sticking with it.

Developing Your Social Media Plan

A good plan starts with a calendar. Whether you prefer a spreadsheet, online software or even a printed calendar, mapping out your content ensures clarity and alignment with your marketing strategy. Here are some key activities to consider when populating your calendar:

New product or service launches.
Anniversaries or milestone celebrations.
Company social events or team-building activities.
Networking events, business conferences or industry-specific exhibitions you’re attending or sponsoring.
Charity partnerships or community involvement.
Employee recognition, company achievements or project completions.
Scheduled press releases or announcements.
Seasonal and special dates (e.g., Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day). These are especially relevant for B2C but can also work for B2B in the right context.
Industry-specific dates (e.g., tax deadlines for accountancy firms).
Sale periods or promotional campaigns.

Once you’ve filled in these key dates, your calendar will have a solid structure, but there’s more to be done!

Content Planning: Marketing vs Engagement

For a balanced approach, split your social media content into two categories:

Marketing Content
- This includes promotional posts, sales messages and product/service highlights.
Engagement Content
- This is your opportunity to connect with your audience. Ideas include:
  - Industry-specific news.
  - Blog shares (both your own and external sources).
  - Testimonials and case studies.
  - Supplier or partner spotlights.
  - Collaborative posts with other businesses.
  - How-to guides, jargon-busting tips or knowledge-sharing posts.

Schedule time-sensitive content first, such as event promotions or seasonal campaigns. For evergreen content, create a “rolling bank” of posts that can be used throughout the year to fill gaps in your schedule.

For inspiration, check out our article: 15 Social Media Content Ideas.

Don’t Forget Paid Ads

Social media advertising can amplify your reach and deliver measurable results. When planning your paid campaigns:

Ensure they align with your broader marketing goals.
Decide which products or services to promote on which platforms.
Clearly define your target audience.
Complement your ads with relevant and relatable organic posts to reinforce the campaign’s messaging.

Growth and Engagement

Planning posts is only part of the strategy. Engaging with your audience and growing your social media presence is equally important. Allocate time for:

Building relationships with your target market, suppliers and peers by liking, commenting and sharing their posts.
Supporting other businesses and individuals to encourage reciprocity.
Identifying brand advocates within your team who can amplify your message and add another voice to your social efforts.

Avoid being a “Panda Poster”—someone who posts but never engages. Social media is a two-way street and building meaningful interactions is vital.